Many people wish to utilize their pickup truck as a recreational vehicle without losing the primary use of the truck as a large cargo hauling vehicle. Traditionally, the camper is fixed to the bed of the pickup. If the person would wish to utilize the cargo area of the truck, the camper would have to be removed. The solution to this dilemma was to have a camper that could be converted to an open topped structure thereby permitting the use of the truck as a recreational vehicle or as a cargo hauling vehicle.
There are many types of convertible vehicles as disclosed by the prior art, the most recent being the accordion-type of longitudinally collapsible canopy type coverings. In order to have the opened top, the whole unit must be slid towards the cab which in turn occupies valuable space in the cargo area. Furthermore, the canopy type of structures do not afford the rigidity as would a metal structure, neither the permanence nor the aesthetic appeal as would a metal structure. In fact, canvas coverings do wear out faster than metal skin, or a wooden skin structure.
A rigid camper frame provides a method to provide for insulation which greatly enhances the use of a recreational vehicle in all types of weather and seasons. Such cannot be the case with a canopy covering of the accordion-type due to the bulkiness of the insulation and the inherent need for compactness while collapsing or storage of the top when not fully extended.
The accordion-type of camper top must utilize snaps or grommets to secure the lower edge of the covering to the frame of the truck. This in turn greatly increases the probability of an unwanted intruder being able to enter the back of the vehicle unattended either by unsnapping the assembly and entering or slitting the canvas and entering that way. For security purposes, the previous type of collapsible camper top has obvious limitations. A metal structure renders it much more difficult to enter, and in general, offers the owner of the vehicle a sense of security knowing that the camper is secure.
The present invention embodies all the features that are needed for useful recreational campers as well as that which is needed for the maximum use and efficiency of the cargo area of a truck.